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Maserati confirms Ghibli hybrid, second SUV

Maserati is sitting out the 2020 Geneva auto show, but that doesn't mean it has nothing to announce. It's working on overhauling its range with new models, including a second SUV, and electrified technology. The Italian company confirmed earlier rumors claiming it will introduce a hybrid version of the Ghibli, its entry-level sedan, in 2020. There's no word yet on when the car will make its debut, though previous reports tentatively point to an unveiling at the biennial Beijing auto show. Work on what Maserati refers to as its super-sports car continues, and the model (pictured as a test mule) will spawn a battery-electric variant that will sound as awesome as it will look. It's scheduled to make its public debut at a standalone event penciled in for May of 2020. An ˆ800-million (about $870-million) investment will allow Maserati to build a second SUV, which hasn't been unveiled yet, in its Cassino, Italy, factory. The last product plan published by the brand positioned the yet-unnamed model below the Levante. The first pre-production cars will roll off a new production line by 2021, meaning we're likely to see it in the metal in the coming year. It might not arrive in American showrooms until the 2022 model year, however. When it does, Maserati predicts the model will play a leading role in its turnaround. Finally, an additional ˆ800 million investment will help prepare the historic Mirafiori, Italy, factory to build the next-generation GranCabrio and GranTurismo. They'll take Maserati into the electric car segment for the first time.  These sizeable investment will ensure every upcoming addition to the Maserati range will be developed and built in Italy. The announcement still leaves plenty of questions, but it points to a line-up that will look completely different in 2024 than it does in 2020, and that's good news for fans of horsepower with an Italian flair.

Maserati MC20 gets the Mansory treatment and a 720-hp V6

German tuner Mansory has added the Maserati MC20 to its range of heavily-modified exotic cars. Called First Edition, the coupe receives a body kit made largely of carbon fiber to keep weight in check, a completely redesigned interior, and a generous 99-horsepower bump. Power comes from an evolution of the regular-production MC20's excellent Nettuno engine. The twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 develops 720 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, up from 621 and 528, respectively, in the stock MC20. Mansory made several software changes and fitted a high-performance exhaust system developed in-house to achieve the increase. The mid-mounted V6 spins the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. It sends the coupe from zero to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds and on to a 205-mph top speed. Odds are you can hear the First Edition coming before you see it, and once it comes into sight it's impossible to ignore. The tuner fitted a body kit that includes wider front air intakes, an aggressive-looking front splitter, vents integrated into the fenders, a new engine cover with a scoop that gives the V6 additional cooling air, a massive rear wing, and a wide air diffuser. Some of the carbon fiber parts are left unpainted to give the First Edition an even more striking design, while 21-inch front and 22-inch rear wheels add a finishing touch to the custom look. Inside, nearly every component and surface has been redesigned to some extent. The seats, dashboard, door panels, and even the footwells are lined with what Mansory calls "glove-soft" leather upholstery. Most of it is yellow, which was chosen to echo some of the exterior trim, but the tuner added white accents for contrast and Italian flag-colored stripes to both seats and the two massive shift paddles.  Mansory hasn't released pricing details but nothing suggests the MC20 First Edition is cheap; the standard car carries a base price of about $220,000. Looking ahead, the firm plans to release a full range of modified MC20s including at least one based on the Cielo convertible.

Maserati teases us with its MC20 testing in the snow

It may be feeling spring-like here in parts of the United States, but there was still plenty of snowpack in Livigno, Italy, when Maserati took its forthcoming MC20 supercar out for a photo session during some cold-weather testing at Ghiacciodromo Livigno.  "During its cold-weather mission, the super sports car was tested to evaluate engine cold starting, the low-temperature performance of its elastic components and the car’s handling on cold and low-grip asphalt surfaces," said the accompanying release. "The test is also performed to verify correct functioning of the Climate Control System in cold conditions; tests were also conducted on the battery, suspensions and brakes." Just reading that, you'd think their trip was all business. Indeed, this is the latest stop on the MC20's worldwide durability testing tour, but from the playful scenes we see here, it's pretty obvious that the engineers had their share of fun giving the MC20's suspension and powertrain a workout in the low-grip environment.  2022 Maserati MC20 winter testing View 5 Photos The MC20 is a mid-engined, 621-horsepower, mid-engine super-coupe that was built with the race track in mind. Power comes from a new V6 that is the first in the company's new "Nettuno" (Neptune) engine series. The twin-turbocharged mill produces 210 horsepower/liter, making it one of the most power-dense engines in the world. It was designed, developed, and produced in-house by Maserati's engineers despite sharing some of its fundamental design with other performance engines in its corporate family.  Maserati has only unveiled the street-legal variant of the MC20 seen here so far, but we expect it won't be long before we hear more about its competition aspirations.